Friday, December 2, 2011

More Prayers Needed....

Just a quick plea for prayers.
(I try to keep my blog uplifting so please forgive my lack.) 

Tory's future father in law  (Kenny) has just passed away of a heart attack.
She called me crying uncontrollably
and sounded just like she did when I got the phone call about Chris' dying over in Afghanistan.
Apparently Kenny had a heart attack. She just went hunting with him yesterday morning.

Please, please we need your prayers for this poor little family.
For Tammy his wife,
For his two sons, Danny and Mike,
and for Tory.
Tory was so close to Kenny,
and he was the one who was really helping to hold her up through all of her grief in losing Chris.

I can't begin to imagine his wife's pain in losing her son and now her husband all within three months....
and these boys...
losing their brother and their dad.

I know God doesn't give us more than we can handle,
but I truly am worried for my little one.

Thank you so much!
(For those of you who don't know,
Tory's fiance Chris was killed in Afghanistan Sept. 3rd.
Kenny was Chris' dad.)

I am still taking a break, please forgive!


Friday, November 18, 2011

I'm Taking Your Advice!

My amazing bloggie friends....
your comments...
oh so touched my heart and soul!
 
It was just what I needed...
Thank you....
 
and
I'm going to take your advice....
I'm going to take a little break from here....
 
and give myself some down time.
I will see you soon!
 
With Love and Appreciation...

Tuesday, November 15, 2011

I Have A Question For You!

What do you do....
when you are in a funk?
Or am I the only one who has these days?
I don't know if it is the stress of these last two months...
all the grief...
trying to hold up everyone else in their grief...
the sorrow of a mother's heart....
seeing her child's heart breaking...
and not being able to do anything about it...
or
the failing economy that is affecting us all...
too much to do everywhere I look...
that all I want to do is go
and pull the cover's over my head...
and hope that when I wake up
everything will be better.
What do you do when you get to this point?
Any advice??

(I try to keep this blog 'up' and 'inspiring'....
so please forgive my inadequacies today.)

Monday, November 14, 2011

A Quilt of Valor for Dan (Chris' fellow soldier and best friend still fighting over there)

Made by Bunk House Quilts
Ann over at Bunk House Quilts
 
who makes Quilts of Valor
asked if she could make the quilt for Dan

that I was going to make along with the rest of the quilts for those grieving.

Of course...

I said "Sure!"

Dan and his beautiful wife Bry. Dan was with Chris when he died over in Afghanistan


She has just finished it and is putting it in the mail today.
Isn't it a beauty?

Please go check out her Blog!
And all her beautiful work.  
 
Some more amazing blocks from you ladies...

Where would this world be without people like Ann...
and the rest of you...
who so generously have taken time out of your busy days...
to help a fellow quilter in need? 

I am blessed!

Friday, November 11, 2011

Veteran's Day Has Taken on a New Meaning Since Losing Our Beloved Soldier

We Love you Chris...
We Miss  you...
We thank you for your ultimate sacrifice!
Tory putting up Chris' plaque at Ft Campbell at his Eagle Ceremony on Wednesday
It's been a rough week on T-Bug (Tory's nickname)
Being back at base with all her memories of Chris.
She told me this ceremony was so much harder on her than
the funeral in Dundee NY.

I think at his funeral she was in shock.
Now...reality has set in.

His parents and brothers are here in town.
I showed them our quilt project 
and his mom was really touched.

Dear Madam Samm over at
Sew I Quilt 
did a touching thing for Tory.


She started 
Project Compassion for Tory
which resulted in this:
A Portrait of Chris for his Parents
and this:
A Portrait of Chris for Tory
The artist is Kaziah Hancock


She is president of Project Compassion


She paints with a spatula and her work is amazing.

Because of Samm's connection with her,
she sat aside 400 other orders
to paint these.
She has several artists that work with her,
but on hearing of Samm's plea
she painted these herself.


Please take the time on this Veteran's Day
to check out her work.


Samm...
thank you from the bottom of my heart.
For your generosity of spirit...
for your help in my grieving...
and for taking the time
to help ease a little girl's pain.
We love you!


Thank you all so much for your continued prayers.
It means the world to us.

My heart is given to all our military
this day...

Wednesday, November 9, 2011

More blocks for 'Her Lost Soldier Boy' Quilt Project

You all have been so good to me!

Last week at the Music City Quilter's Guild Meeting...
a lady I have never met...
brought me the quilt block above.
I took the 'work in progress' quilt for Tory
and during show and tell got up before them all and told about the project.
I was only a visitor...
I am number 18 on the waiting list to become a member in the guild.
Felt like a fool...
because I couldn't tell the story...
without crying!
Ugh!!

For any of those new to my blog...
you can read the story Here!
And Here!

 Naomi made a darling mug rug for Tory!
This one is from my friend Nancy who has been praying for Tory since she met her 12 years ago. She made this star she said because it had a cross in the middle of it.
These blocks were sent with a beautiful plaque for Tory.
You all have been so generous.
I am amazed by everyone's effort.
It was the first time for some ladies to make a block...
for many it was their first 'star block'...me included...
and so many of you put intricate work into yours.
Please know each block is treasured!

There are two things that are helping me deal with my grief...

going to the mail box...
and
him...
It's hard to get any work done with him around...
When I am sitting sewing...
he says "Workin grandma...I workin!"
And tries to take the needle from me...
Thank you all my quilting friends!

You have my heart...

Monday, October 31, 2011

Working on 'Her Lost Soldier Boy Project'

I thought I'd paint a picture
of the scene around here
the other evening
while we worked on this project.
(For those of you coming to my blog for the first time...
our daughter lost her fiance in Afghanistan on Sept 3rd.
People have sent in quilt blocks from all over the 
world for me to make quilts for Tory and other family members of Chris' (the soldier) family)
I set the guys up to serenade us while we worked...
Set the girls and grand girls up at a table to work on the scrapbook we are making to go along with the quilts...of all the letters and cards that were sent in with each block...
The Grand Girls helping out with the project...
I went to the kitchen to make Dutch Babies for everyone...
So easy and quick...and everyone LOVES them!
Here is the recipe:
Dutch Babies with Lemon and Sugar
Preheat oven to 425 degrees
Put 2 Tbsps of Butter in Iron Skillet and set in preheated oven
while you put the batter together.
(Once it is melted pull it out and brush up the sides of the pan)
In a blender mix:
4 large eggs
1/2 cup of half and half
1/2 cup flour
1/4 tsp salt
(until well blended)

Pour into warm buttered skillet.
Set in oven for 18-25 minutes.
Take out and sprinkle with freshly squeezed lemon juice
(I use about 1/2 of a lemon)
and powdered sugar
Serve immediately
Yum! Yum!
(Recipe taken from the book: A Homemade Life
by Molly Wizenberg...a really fun read!)

Then it was time to work on the quilts...

I decided to let the little girls help.

I took the time to tell them how delicate these blocks were...
and how they had come from all over the world, 
so we needed to be really careful with them.

At first I wasn't going to let them touch the blocks...
but then I thought to myself...
I want these kids to remember this project...
I want them to become interested in quilting...
the traditions...
I want them to have memories of quilting with grandma....
quilting in grief over our lost soldier boy...

So you all tell me...
Did I make the right decision?
Each night I am trying to take some time to sew these blocks together.
Hopefully I will have something to show you later this week.

I've thought of you all
in the process.
And how this wouldn't be happening without all of you taking
time out of your busy lives to help me.

You are the cream of the crop, my quilting friends!



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Happy Stitchin' this week...